Self-dumping elevator



Aug. 2, 1938. G. P. coUGHLlN SELF DUMPING ELEVATOR Filed-March 2e, 19374 sheets-sheet 1 @R M H 4.. 4. N Q Q l u 4' A o o n M m. f .9 mm Q o 1 fm@ mm uw Qmm. Evan I QQ .b mi Q. P@ m .w I l: H I Q" NA II l l M l a# oo I IWI Il' .Il flulu /|\\m,wm. uw I'. n Il. lll H I N 1. .mg ./s I H IH C. mw I l f ,Q m wl |l /1 .l mn mb m om ,m 1\|mm. ,w :Mama m2. \o ma 3BMAQGM. ma

INVENTO u Ahlh Georg @B52 Aug. 2, 1938. G. P. coUGHLlN SELF DUMPINGELEVATOR Filed March 26, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Cou killin I oghi ATTORW ug.-2, 1938. G. P. COUGHLIN 2,125,547

SELFDUMFING ELEVATORl Filed March 26, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 2,1938.

G. P. COUGHLIN SELF DUMPING ELEVATOR Filed March 26, 1957 @Sheets-Sheet4 hn. Il U\TH.

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INVENTOR Caught 2 7 ATTORNEYS Zafdnm Patented Aug. 2, 1938 UNITED STATESPATENT `OFFICE 6 Claims.

Y My present invention relates to the general art of handling andhoisting equipment for bulk materials and more particularly to aself-dumping elevator. -K

Myequipment is constructed to handle expeditiously relatively largequantities of bulk materials and, while it might be used in the handlingof many different types of materials and commodities, has foundparticular adaptation and usefulness in the handling of sand and gravel,particularly in connection with mining operations. For clearness ofexplanation, therefore, I have elected to describe my equipment as itwould be constructed and used in mining work.

In placer mining operations, particularly in low grade districts, it isnecessary to handle large quantities of materials at a minimum cost. Forthis use my equipment is especially desirable in that it is easily andcheaply constructed; this of course lowers the overhead expense and, inturn, decreases the'cost per yard of material handled. It makes possiblethe handling of large quantities of material more cheaply than thebucket, Vclipper, or drag line installations most generally in use atpresent, andthe original cost of my equipment is but a fraction of theseother methods.

For placer mining use I have provided in a single unit, mounted uponskids so that it may easily be moved over the necessary distances as theground is worked, complete hoisting and recovery equipment.

The principal object of my present invention, therefore, is to provide aunitary structure which Will raise, to the desired elevation, the goldbearing sand and gravels; and, to further provide in the same unit, themeans for recovery of the metal which meansare at a sufficient height sothat the tailings can be easily disposed of.

An important object of my present invention is to provide means that aresubstantially automatic in their operation so that a single operator cantend the equipment and operate the same.

A further object of my invention is to provide a dumping arrangementthat will assure all the materials being dumped in the desired place.

A still further object of my invention is to provide means so that, asthe elevator cage is lowered tol its receiving position, it willautomatically scoop up the materials that may have sloughed down intothe ground position of the cage, to the end that this material will notcause the receiving edge of the bucket to be raised above the groundlevel.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a side elevation of my complete unit with the elevator inits upper, or dumping 54 position.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of my equipment showing the elevator endthereof.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing, in perspective, my elevator cageand elevator bucket 10' in the position ready to receive material.

Figure 4 is a perspective View, showing the upper portion of my elevatortower.

Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing my elevatorcage and bucket in its load- 15 ing position.

Figure 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, with parts of thesupporting and guiding tower removed, showing the elevator bucket in itsdumping position.

Figure 'l is a side elevation, partly in section, of a modified form ofloading ramp.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a modified form of mydumping arrangement.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary, front elevation, 25 showing the dumpingmechanism of Figure 8 before the cage and bucket have reached thedumping position.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view showing the drive means connecting thesource of power with 30 the various operating units.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view showing my loading ramp and apron in theposition occupied when the bucket is lowered to the ground and showinghow the same serves to scoop up mate- 35 rial that might otherwise holdthe edge of the bucket up off its normal position flush with the ground.

Referring to the drawings, throughout which like reference charactersindicate like parts, 8 40 designates the tower of my elevator. Thisshould be constructed with adequate bracing to stand the racking strainsof hoisting and of movement.

It should provide suflicient support for the base guideways I0 and II,for the head blocks I2, I4, 45 I6, and Il, over which the hoistingcables I9 and 20 pass, and it should also furnish support for the triplines 22 and 23.

Adapted to vertical movement within tower 8 is the elevator cage 24.This consists of a floor 50 portion 26 and the upwardly extending framework consisting of pairs of posts 2l and 28 which are joined together attheir upper extent by tie members 30 and 3I. Posts 2l aro provided withtwo, or more, guide shoes as 32 and 33 which are 55 lapron extends thefull width of the elevator bucket and is so constructed as to belighterin weight than the wedge-shaped portion extending i outwardlyfrom hinge 48 so that when it is not`` loaded with material, thewedge-shaped 'ramp portion will raise the apron off yfloor 38 aftertheshowing of Figure 6; its upward travel is arrested by stop bar 52. aretwo sheaves 54 and 55 which, in turn, operatively support dump lines, orcables, 56 and 51.'k 5

Thesecables are securedY to end members 35 and 48, respectively, andpass through slots 59 and 6 8 cut in member 42 and terminate in rings821 which encircle guide lines 22 and 23, respectively. Each cable 56and 51 is further provided with cable clamps or stop members 64 whichare of such a size that they will lnot pass through slotsf55 and 68.Adapted toarrest the upward movement of rings 82 upon guide lines r22and 23, are clamps, orjstop members, 65. y v

In order to provide a complete, workable unit I provide skids 61 and 68upon which are mounted, in addition to `tower 8, the inclined dumpingplatform 18, the riiiie flume 12, the water supply line 13, togetherwith a prime mover as the motor 15 which is operatively connected to thehoisting drums -18'and.19, and to the drive sprocket 86 which drives theagitator chain 82 to which, in turn, are attached a plurality ofagitator attachments 84. Supporting and idler sprockets as 85 areprovided to accurately position the agitator members whose function isto remove the heavy rock and material from flume 12. Flume 12 may carryany desired type of gold recovery devices as the riffle 81.`

Attention is invited to the showing of Figure 1 in which sluice 12 isshown to extend well out beyond the end of skid 68. This is a desirableconstruction, in that it permits-the tailings to p-il'e up in theirnormal manner Without covering up, by sloughing back thereon, the endsof skids 88.

i AMethod of operation When my present equipment is used in the handlingof gold bearing sand and gravel, it is desirable that the elevatorbucket 36 be of suicient length so that the blade of a bull-dozer canenter into the bucket. In this way the bulldozer which has beendeveloped as a very economical means of handling large quantities ofbroken or loose material, can deposit upon the floor 38of the elevatorbucket, several yards of material in a single operation. When loaded theoperator who normally stands convenient to operating levers 9| and 92,actuates clutch 94 which connects the power to the hoisting drums 18 and19. This raises the two hoisting cables i9 and 28 so that the. entireelevator cage 24 is raised up to the elevator tower to the dumpingposition. Just before the dumping position is reached, rings 62 engagestops 85 attached to trip cables 22 and 23, and this stops the ends ofcables 56 and 51 while the elevatorV cage continues upwardly. Theelevator bucket is then caused to revolve partially aboutv pivots 35until it assumes the position shown in Supported from tie member 3|yFigures 1 and 6. In this position it will be apparent that the materialwill slide olf floor 38 and onto the delivery floor 18. Any gap thatmight otherwise remain between the dumping edge of the elevator bucketand the edge of platform 18 adjacent the elevator, is bridged by theback Wall 42 of the elevator bucket which is no longer held in itsraised position by the abutment of stop 64 against the under edge ofmember 42.

As the material is deposited upon the inclined table 18 it is washeddownwardly by the stream of water delivered through pipe 13 and washedYover the rillles 14, or such other gol-d collecting vdevice as might beused, and the tailings are disf. charged from the lower end of sluiceboxes 12.

, It has been found desirable to provide agitating Ymeans for thissluice to the end that a fast, deep owof water may be avoided. Toaccomplish this I provide the driven chain, 82, which is provided atfrequent intervals with agitator attachments 84. These serve to breakany lumps of material that might occur, and particularly do they serveto carry down the sluice, any large rocks which the limited force ofwater might not be able to carry away. Y Y

As soon as thematerial has been dumped from bucket 38, cables I9 and 20are Yslacked away and the elevato-r cage is lowered. As it is loweredaway cables 56 and 51 are also slacked so that the elf-:vatory bucketcan assume its normal position,

substantially as shown in Figures 3 and 5, with the apron member 42 heldin the position shown in lFigure-3 by virtue of the fact that stop 64again engages the underV side thereof. From this position the extremepoint Aof wedge 46 strikes the ground first and, as the cage continuesto be lowered, it straightens out to the position shown in Figure 5. Inso doing it picks up any loose material that has sloughed off the pileand which would, unless removed, prevent the loading edge of the bucketfrom resting Ylirmly on the ground; this might cause serious difficultyin the subsequent repeating of the loading operation. As soon as thebucket is loadedrand the material is deposited on apron 56, the weightof that material keeps it in the position shown in Figures 3 and 5.

It has'been found that under certain conditions the construction of theautomatic dump arrangements shown in Figures 1 to 7, inclusive, is notwarranted. Therefore, in Figures 8 to 10, inclu-- sive, I haveillustrated a modified form of my dumping arrangement.

In this structure itis possible to hoist the elevator cage up slightlyabove the level of the dumping platform and to then lock that drum as bya brake Vor vpawl such as is usually provided on winchesand then to usean auxiliary line for actually dumping the bucket. This has a furtheradvantage in that it is possible to dump the bucket more gradually, asis often required in smaller operations. In my modified Yform I stilluse cables i9 and 2D to hoist the elevator cage, but I now arrange myhoist so that it will stop the cage just slightly above the dumpingplatform 16 at which point the drum is locked with cables I9 and 20holding the entire weight of the cage, bucket, and the pay load. I use asingle cable 98 to dump the ,bucket which is still resting in its normalposition on the now stationary ele vator cage. In this manner the motivepower can be considerably reduced in that its greatest load is thelifting of the cage and loadedbucket, and the actual dumping of theload, because of the pivotal arrangement at, 35, requires less thanone-half the effort necessary to raise the entire cage and bucket to thedumping level. This is 4an appreciable saving in initial installationcost over that form shown in Figure 1, although it is at a sacrifice ofoperating speed.

Dumping is accomplished by providing that lines 56 and 51 terminate in across member as 98. This member travels up and down with the elevatorcage and has, at its center, a slot as 99 through which cable 96 passes.Cable 96 as it leaves the hoisting drum or nigger head |00, is providedwith a stop, or clamp arrangement, at |02. For this purpose I have foundconvenient to use a relatively large wood block which is secured againstmovement on the cable by suitable clamps as |04. The cable then passesup over a head block |05 and down to a compensating weight |06. Thisweight must be sufficiently large so as to return cable 96 to its normalposition after it has been drawn down toward the drum |00 in the dumpingoperation. It must be suicient then to counterbalance the weight ofclamp, or stop block |02, and the vertical length of cable or rope usedbetween the head block and the lower guide block |08.

To dump my elevator bucket with the modified arrangement, the elevatorcage is raised to a point just slightly above the elevator board and thehoisting cables locked. A strain is then taken on line 96 which at thisstage of the operation, is virtually in contact with cross member 98. Acontinued movement of block |02 carries member 98 with it which in turnoperates the dumping cables 56 and 51 so as to dump the bucket after thegeneral showing of Figure 8. In this operation, however, while it isslower than the method previously described, it does permit of partialdumping, or at least a more gradual dumping of the load, in that theoperator has full and complete control of the bucket. As soon as thedumping operation is completed, line 96 is slacked off and weight |06will restore block |02 to its raised, or normal position. The. deadweight of the empty bucket will then be suflcient to return it to itshorizontal position on the elevator cable where it may be again loweredaway without in any Way disturbing the dumping arrangement.

To facilitate loading of the elevator bucket, I provide sheer boards |09and l0 which greatly aid in controlling the gravel as it is pushedforward and onto the elevator.

The modied ramp illustrated in Figure 7 is desirable where the gravel isnot bound together as by earth or clay. It consists of ramp ||2 whichterminates in the apron portion I4 which is hingedly connected at H6 tothe ramp. Secured to the underside of the apron is the cam member i8which is disposed so as to engage the floor of the elevator bucket 38and, to this, properly position the apron for use. When the elevator israised the apron is also raised until it assumes the position shown indotted lines in Figure 7. It is held in the position until the return ofthe bucket, by means of line |20 which runs over sheave |2| and isconnected to the weighted lever |22 which in turn is pivoted at |24.

'I'he foregoing description and the accompanying drawings are believedto clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention but it willbe understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that suchchanges in the invention may be made as are fairly within the scope andspirit of the following claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An elevator adapted for vertical movement from loading to dumpingpositions and comprising a deck having forward and rear edges, a bucketpivotally mounted on the rear edge of said deck, means for tripping thebucket, and a gravity actuated scoop on the forward edge of the deckwhereby material under the deck will be removed as the elevatorapproaches loading position.

2. An elevator adapted for vertical movement from loading to dumpingpositions and comprising a deck having forward and rear edges, a bucketpivotally mounted on the rear edge of the deck, means for tripping thebucket and a gravity actuated scoop mounted on and overhanging theforward edge of the deck whereby the material under the deck will beremoved when the elevator approaches loading position.

3. An elevator adapted for .vertical movement from loading to dumpingpositions and comprising a deck having forward and rear edges, a bucketpivotally mounted on the rear edge of the deck, means for tripping thebucket, and a gravity actuated scoop pivotally mounted on the forwardedge of the deck andhaving an inclined front face whereby material underthe deck will be removed when the elevator approaches loading position.

4. An elevator comprising a deck having front and rear edges, a buckethaving a pivotal support at the rear edge and a gravity-dropped dumpingwall hinged on said support, means for tripping the bucket to dumpingposition, a gravity actuated scoop mounted on and overhanging the frontedge of the bucket, and means co-acting with the tripping means when thebucket returns to loading position for lifting the dropped back wall toclosed position.

5. In a dumping-hoist, the combination With an elevator shaft, a pair ofstationary guides, and a stop on each guide, of an elevator having frontand rear edges, a bucket having a pivotal support on the rear edges, aslotted gravity-dropped discharge wall hinged on said support, agravityactuated scoop hinged at the front edge, a pair of dump-ropesanchored at one end to said scoop and guides for the ropes, said ropespassed through the slotted Wall, trip-rings attached at the free ends ofthe ropes and loosely mounted on the stationary guides, andlifting-heads on saig ropes adapted to engage the dropped slotted wa 6.In a dumping-hoist, the combination with an elevator shaft, a stationaryupright-guide, and a stop on the guide, of an elevator, agravityreturned bucket having a pivotal support on the elevator and agravity-dropped, slotted, discharge wall hinged on said support, adump-rope operatively connected to a part of the elevator and passedthrough the slotted wall, a trip-ring on the free end of the rope andloosely mounted a lifting head on said rope to engage the dropped`slotted wall.

GEORGE P. COUGHLIN.

